Some Rainy Day Fun with your Dog

Even though it turned out to be a nice day, we found this tip for some rainy day fun to keep your dog busy.  Try it out and let us know how your dog did!

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Pet Adoption Event Tomorrow

Pet adoption event this Saturday on 116th at Rockapup. To check it out, click here.

Dr. Salvo's August Newsletter

Enjoy!

Kittens Found at Dog Park Need a Home!

These adorable babies were left in a cardboard box in the dogpark.  If you or someone you know is looking to adopt a cat, please let us know!

Dr. Salvo's Weekly Dose #2

Here is the second of Dr. Salvo's Weekly Dose.  Enjoy!

Got a "HOT" Dog? WOOF!

by Karina B. Salvo of PawPrints Animal Medical Cenre P.C.

Summer Heat is blaring and the a/c is running 24/7!! With the change of season comes the change in weather and increasing heat and humidity. As we all enjoy the changing seasons and the warm weather, we also have to be aware of hydration and the overheating potential (heat stroke) in our pets!!

Our dogs love to go for walks and play at the parks and along the beach…but increasing temperatures can be a very dangerous thing for our little furry friends. Working in an animal ER, I have seen numerous cases of heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke during the summer months. Many of these pets come in and are severely dehydrated, (excessive panting increases dehydration). They are often weak and have temperatures of above 104 degrees. These little patients have to be hospitalized and receive intravenous fluid therapy and slow cooling of body temperature and close monitoring of vital signs (usually for several days). Some patients present appearing stable but quickly decompensate and become critical to grave within minutes to hours of presentation.

Overheating can happen very quickly and can lead to devastating consequences!

It is important to keep your man or woman’s best friend cool and hydrated during the next few months as we are now within the hottest time of the year. Be sure to bring plenty of water with you to the parks or even on walks! It is true that some breeds are more likely to overheat before others ( bulldog, frenchies, pugs etc…the short nosed little ones).  Although this thought holds true for those short nosed breeds, every dog outside for any extended period is certainly at risk! 

Another concern are for those pets that are overweight, heat and humidity makes any movement, especially long walks, very difficult.

Longer walks should be done in the early mornings and late or early evening hours…when its cooler. Never leave your dog in a car, even with the windows down or the a/c on…accidents can happen and are simply avoided by not leaving your pet unattended. Cars can act as ovens and temperatures inside a car can reach well over 120 degrees. Leaving your dog outside, even though he or she has a dog house and water? Put yourself in their four little shoes…I wouldn't want to be stuck outside all day…its hot out there!

As we all welcome the summer festivities here in the Rockaways,  please remember to bring the water with you ( to the beach, the park and for a walk), avoid the hottest times of the day ( besides the pavement gets HOT for those little toes! Those can burn too..so make a midday walk QUICK!).  I hope that all my readers are more aware of the heat and the effect it can have on your pets.

Have a Happy & Safe Summer!

Dr. Salvo & Staff at PawPrints AMC

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If you ever have any questions or concerns about your pet or their medications etc, please do not ever hesitate to call us at any time!

We want the best for our pets, and yours too...afterall, they are a part of the PawPrints family!

Best Regards,

Dr. Karina Salvo

PawPrints Animal Medical Centre PC

718-474-PAWS

We can treat sometimes, cure often and comfort always!

"Dr. Salvo's Weekly Dose" Now on this Page!

Some of you may have noticed that Dr. Salvo's contribution to the column "Paws for a Moment" has been removed from the Wave.  For those of you who are just as disappointed as we are about having this valuable information removed from the community paper, worry not!  Dr. Salvo has still been writing, and has kindly agreed to let us post her weekly article, "Dr. Salvo's Weekly Dose" on our news blog.  We will also be printing out a few copies to put in the dog park for those who don't have regular internet access.  Thank you, Dr. Salvo, for insuring that Rockaway's pet owners are becoming better informed "pet parents"!  For the next few days, we will be posting past issues until we are caught up.  And now, without further delay, Dr. Salvo's weekly dose:

Shots Shots & More Shots!

I have received many questions about vaccines;     Which ones should my pet have? Does he need all of them at once? Every year?

Put your seat belts on….here we go!

* update on the Canine Influenza vaccine...read below*

Today there are many vaccines available on the market. Vaccines are given to our pets to facilitate a stronger immune system so that in the event of contagious disease exposure, our pets have a lessened severity of disease or infection is even prevented. Vaccines are divided into two groups, core and non-core. Core, meaning vaccines recommended for most pets by the American Veterinary Medical Association versus vaccines that are given to specific pets due to those pets specific lifestyle (non-core).

Choices! Choices!

Ok, not that we have a menu that you can pick and choose which vaccines…

How many shots or vaccines does your pet need? All of them? No. Half of them? Probably not….

There are many vaccines available, but not every pet needs every vaccine! Why? Each dog lives a different lifestyle. For instance, the cushy couch potato pooch versus the rugged Labrador that goes for a run on the beach, thru the trees, frequents his other dog friends at the park…both come in contact with different exposures in their life. Same with our feline friends…some like to go outside and others prefer to jump where they aren’t supposed to be ( usually a table or counter) and watch the world outside thru the window…again, different exposures.

So each pet’s lifestyle should always be taken into account when determining which vaccines are best for that specific pet.

Vaccines each and every year?

Well….there are some veterinarians that have done titers in the past. Titers measure where your pets immune system “is” in relation to immunity.  According to the American Veterinary Medical Association there is NO ESTABLISHED CONFORMATION that a low titer makes a pet less vulnerable or a high titer confirms a pet to have better immunity against disease. So what do we do? We base our vaccine schedule on our pet’s lifestyle and need for specific vaccines.

Let’s talk numbers!

How many vaccines should our pets receive at one time? That depends…on age, breed, size, stress and past reactions. Yes, vaccines can cause allergic reactions, but it occurs infrequently and the chance of a reaction decreases by separating the vaccines out over multiple visits.

This means that the vaccines that have been determined to be best for that specific pet are not all given at the same visit. Age is a concern as younger pets may not have ever had vaccines before and their response to them is not yet known. Some breeds are more susceptible to allergic reactions to specific vaccines. Smaller pets can also be more at risk for having a reaction if multiple vaccines are given at once. 

Stress effects all of us, there is nothing that can replace gentleness and bedside manner…

working with a fearful animal can be challenging, but discussing distraction, handling and behavioral techniques with an owner makes the experience less stressful for the pet…which I believe is one of the most important factors of veterinary medicine.

We want our pets protected as best we can!  Vaccines are only one avenue of protection. Over vaccination is NOT the answer. Acknowledging that each pet has a different lifestyle with different exposure risks, spacing out vaccine administration for each pet and minimizing stress should always be the determinate of which vaccines we administer, when and how often.

* The American Veterinary Medical Association states that " The canine influenza vaccine is a "lifestyle" vaccine, and is NOT recommended for every dog. In general, the vaccine is intended for the protection of dogs at risk for exposure to the CI virus, which include those that either participate in activities with many other dogs or are housed in communal facilities, particularly where the virus is prevalent. "

Have a Happy and Safe Summer!

-Dr. Karina Salvo

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If you ever have any questions or concerns about your pet or their medications etc, please do not ever hesitate to call us at any time!

We want the best for our pets, and yours too...afterall, they are a part of the PawPrints family!

Best Regards,

Dr. Karina Salvo

PawPrints Animal Medical Centre PC

718-474-PAWS

We can treat sometimes, cure often and comfort always!

ICE CREAM SOCIAL 2012 IS A SUCCESS!

We would like to thank everyone who came out for some off leash summer fun yesterday!  The rain stayed away, and so did the mosquitoes!  We raised $350, which will go towards more fundraising efforts and items for the park.  Thank you to Paw Prints Animal Medical Centre, P.C., the ASPCA, Happy Hounds Dog Walking & Pet Sitting, and the Office of Emergency Management for participating in our event.

If you weren't there yesterday, we introduced everyone to our newly adopted mascot, Rocky.  Rocky will be joining us at outreach events to help spread the word about responsible pet care and animal kindness.  In fact, he will be joining us tomorrow evening at National Night Out Against Crime.  The event will take place on B108& Shorefront Parkway from 5-8pm.  Come and grab some giveaways and information and say hello!  Also, don't forget, all current members who show us their card will get a special treat!

We also shared a bit of exciting news yesterday.  On Friday, ARF-ARF filed its 501c3 status with the IRS.  Now all we need to do is get approval from the IRS.  What does that mean for our organization?  That means that any donations will be tax deductible.  It also means that we will be able to take bigger donations and secure grants which will help us get the bigger ticket items for Freeway Dog Park.  We'll also be able to start doing some bigger and better things.  So keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned to this news page for updates!